Themes by tag: Kyiv

Before the full-fledged invasion began, Natalia Dresvyannikova, the founder of the Vilna Nytka (Free Thread) craft and public workshop, was in charge of a shelter for victims of domestic violence. After the Kyiv region was fully retaken, Natalia decided to redefine the purpose of the shelter and began to help address the plight of women victims of war, as well as those who had returned from enemy captivity.

Natalia applied for a government grant funding opportunity, and volunteers from the Ukrainian diaspora in the United States helped provide the workshop with special equipment. The Vilna Nytka workshop teaches needlework to women and provides them with work. Currently, the workshop employs five women, and every day they do textile art with ancient ornaments on Ukrainian shirts. The shirts from the Vyshhorod craft workshop are shopped even in the United States, and part of purchase proceeds go towards supporting women’s shelters.

• casualties
• women
• Kyiv

On November 22, Kyiv will host a press conference and the launch of the social information campaign “Do you hear what this is about?”.

Nearly 1 in 2 children do not talk to his or her parents about experiencing difficult emotions and handling feelings related to the war. That’s evidenced by the U-Report platform and the Voices of Children Foundation survey. Why don’t children feel free to share problems with their parents how this can be prevented will be discussed at a press conference by the Voices of Children Foundation.

In addition, to help parents hear their children out when they talk about the war, the Voices of Children Foundation is launching a public education campaign, “Do you hear what it’s about?”. It will be held across the country’s 13 Oblasts.

The campaign’s uniqueness lies in its stories based on true life events and statements of 7 children who agreed to participate. These brave kiddos will tell Ukrainians how the war has changed them and what kind of support they expect from their parents.

Speakers:

– Olena Rozvadovska, Chairman of the Board and Co-founder of the Voices of Children Charitable Foundation;

– Yaroslava Katolyk, Communications Manager of the UNICEF U-Report Ukraine project

– Victoriia Solomenko, a 17-year-old, “Do you hear what it’s about?” participant. 

Event registration is required. 

• casualties
• children
• psychological support
• Kyiv

Olena Rozvadovska, co-founder of the Children’s Voices Foundation is on the BBC 100 Women list. The project recognizes the achievements of women around the world and in all spheres of life – from volunteering to running international organizations. 

A 27-year-old Olena took up the position of press secretary at The Office of the Commissioner for Children’s Rights of the President of Ukraine. In this role, she became deeply involved in human rights activities and learned more about the problems children face. This was followed by 5 years of volunteering in Donbas, the founding of the Voices of Children charity foundation, and the growth of the team from 2 employees to 200 people. 

The Voices of Children Foundation provides psychological and psychosocial assistance to children and war-affected families.

Read more on Olena’s biography here.

For reference: This year, the BBC 100 Women has included two more Ukrainians, Oksana Zabuzhko and Iryna Stavchuk, in its list. Apart from the Ukrainians, 27 global climate activists made the list. Other inspiring women on this year’s list include Michelle Obama, a lawyer and former first lady of the United States, and Amal Clooney, a human rights barrister.

• children
• psychological support
• volunteers
• women
• Kyiv

In the “Warm Up” (Zihrii) movement participants knit warm clothes (hats, scarves, balaclavas, mittens, and socks) to be sent to Ukrainian defenders. These pieces of clothing do not compete with tactical equipment but aim to show caregiving to the military. As the founders of the movement explain, apart from military tasks, soldiers have other tasks, such as cooking and going to the post office. This is where warm scarves, socks, or hats from “Warm Up” come in handy.

Over 5 thousand people from all over Ukraine have joined the initiative since its inception. Ukrainians abroad (Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden) also knit for our defenders.

The people of various professions: top managers, editors, nannies, etc have been joining the “Warm Up” movement. There are also men among the knitters.

• military
• volunteers
• Kyiv

On November 21, the Maidan Museum together with the Ukrainian House and partners invite everyone to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity. The exhibition ” Maidan: Birth of a Dream. First battle” will be held in Kyiv. All three floors of the Ukrainian House, an important part of the history of the Revolution of Dignity, will host the event.

Visitors, in particular, will be able to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the most powerful peaceful protest in the world, remember the events, see original items of Maidan protestors and unique artifacts from the protests.

After the opening, everyone is invited to watch and discuss the film “Euromaidan SOS” together with DocuDays NGO’s DOCU/CLUB network.

Registration is required.

In addition, On the Day of Dignity and Freedom, a joint prayer for Ukraine and its freedom fighters will take place at 10:00 AM. Then, in memory of the fallen defenders of Ukraine, the Bell of Dignity will be rung, flowers will be placed at the portraits of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, and lights will be lit in their honor.

For reference: The Day of Dignity and Freedom in Ukraine is celebrated every year on November 21 to mark the beginning of two revolutions: the Orange Revolution (2004) and the Revolution of Dignity (2013).

• casualties
• culture
• dead
• Kyiv

Hamish is 23 years old and he recently graduated from the University of St Andrews in the UK. After that, he spent one year working in London as a Conference Producer in the Defense sector.

The young man says that, just like many people in the UK, he was shocked when he heard about russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He was even more horrified by the terrible war crimes committed by the occupiers.

As soon as the boy collected enough money, he came to Ukraine. He volunteered in Kyiv and Chernihiv regions (particularly, he worked in the “Dobrobat” and “Brave to Rebuild” teams). He cleared rubble, helped to fix roofs, lay bricks and install windows.

Hamish is currently volunteering in Kharkiv: he helps to cook food for people affected by the war. In addition, he plans to join the local “Dobrobat” branch to help with the reconstruction.

• reconstruction
• volunteers
• Kharkiv
• Kyiv

On November 20, the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation will present research “Veteran Portrait” at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform. 

The event will focus on how do veterans view respect from the public and support from the state, as well as what problems veterans consider most likely to arise in civilian life.

Participants: 

– Yulia Laputina, Minister for Veteran Affairs of Ukraine;

– Ruslana Velychko-Trifonyuk, First Deputy Executive Director of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs;

– Yulya Kirillova, Head of the Department of Educational and Analytical Work of the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. 

Event registration is required. 

For reference: In October 2023, the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans conducted the fourth web-based survey among male and female veterans and active duty military personnel. A total of 2475 people took part in the research. The survey results examined the current needs and concerns of the participants.

For example, a survey conducted in February 2023 showed that 4% of respondents believed that veterans “do not receive” respect from civilians at all. This figure doubled to 9.8% in October 2023. The overall share of veterans who are convinced of the general public showing a complete lack of proper respect for them has also increased, amounting to 44.1% compared to 25.4% in February 2023.

• Kyiv

A “Miracle Village” set in the Kolonshchyna village, Kyiv region. The project was developed for elderly people who lost their homes due to Russian military aggression.

Accommodation is free of charge. The apartments are modernly renovated and furnished. The “village” will also have a clubhouse where the older adults could spend their leisure time. Among other things, there will be a medical center, hairdresser’s, and dentist’s offices.

Currently, 68 people already reside in the “Miracle Village”.

For reference: The “Miracle Town” was built with the support of the “To Ukraine With Love” Charitable Foundation and American businessman and philanthropist Dell Loy Hansen.

• casualties
• Kyiv

In January 2015, during fierce fighting that flared near the Donetsk airport, Bohdan Pantiushenko, a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was taken prisoner by Russia. It took five years to bring Bohdan home. He was freed from captivity in a prisoner exchange on December 29, 2019. Today, together with his wife Victoriia, Bohdan has started his own business, namely a family-friendly cafe in the Kyiv region. A couple, raising a little boy, decided to design a kids’ space in their restaurant, as well as a number of dining options for children. 

At first, Bohdan planned to invest only his own assets, but then he learned about the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation support program for veterans. So the serviceman applied for a business grant and got almost three million hryvnias for the project launch. Bohdan and his wife hope the cafe will open its doors to visitors in the spring of 2024.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

On November 16, Ukraine Media Center Ukrinform will host a briefing on the signing agreements with the World Food Program in Ukraine by the heads of 11 regions to expand the National School Feeding Program. The briefing will focus on the challenges in providing daily meals to primary school students and children receiving social benefits, as well as the role of WFP in providing cooked school meals.

Participants:

– Andriy Stashkiv, Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine;

– Matthew Hollingworth, UN World Food Program (WFP) Representative and Country Director in Ukraine;

– Ruslan Kravchenko, Head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration;

– Ihor Taburets, Head of Cherkasy Oblast Military Administration.

For reference: Last academic year, the UN World Food Program funded 50% of hot meals for children in 58 primary schools in Kyiv Oblast for four months. This year, WFP is expanding a cooked school meals program to reach 11 regions. WFP will provide 30% of daily meals for more than 60,000 Ukrainian school-age children.

• children
• food
• Kyiv